States Starting to Reject Obama's Obamacare 'Fix'

Washington State has announced that it will not comply with the “fix” that President Obama unilaterally announced today.

Just hours after President Obama announced changes to his health care law to give insurance companies the option to keep offering consumers plans that would otherwise be canceled, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says those changes will not be allowed in our state.

Kreidler says Thursday he has “serious concerns” about how Obama’s proposal would be implemented and its potential impact on the overall stability of the state’s health insurance market.

“I do not believe his proposal is a good deal for the state of Washington,” Kreidler said in a statement announcing his decision. “In the interest of keeping the consumer protections, we have enacted and ensuring that we keep health insurance costs down for all consumers, we are staying the course. We will not be allowing insurance companies to extend their policies. I believe this is in the best interest of the health insurance market in Washington.”

Kreidler is a Democrat. So is Arkansas’ insurance commissioner, who has also announced that his state will not comply with the president’s “fix.”

Arkansas looks to be a no-go on Obama plan. MT @ArkDavey Arkansas Ins commissioner: Plans NOT to allow Obama's GF renewals into 2015

— Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) November 14, 2013

These rejections underscore just how much trouble Obamacare is. Congress is up in arms with even Democrats desiring a legislative fix and Republicans increasingly empowered to repeal the law.

PURGE! MT @igorvolsky: Senate Dems looking for an Obmacare "fix": Landrieu Manchin Merkley Donnelly Hagan Begich Feinstein Pryor Udall

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 14, 2013

The insurance industry is warning that the “fix” may destabilize the insurance market and drive premiums up, again. If a large number of states reject it, Obamacare could be doomed.

Are these just the first two states to resist, or will others and even a majority of states follow?